A senator has criticised the health ministry for failing to implement an on-call allowance hike for doctors despite its low cost.
Dr RA Lingeshwaran said raising the allowance by RM55 to RM65 an hour, as proposed in the last budget, would require only RM75 million to RM80 million a year, or about 2% of the ministry’s annual budget.
“This is not a heavy burden. It is a small investment that will significantly boost the morale and well-being of young doctors. With political will, it can be done,” he told the Dewan Negara yesterday during the debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan.
Lingeshwaran, a former hospital director, said the funds could come from internal savings by cutting non-essential spending, such as official travel and meeting expenses.
He claimed that many young doctors were relying on Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) schemes to cover basic needs, reflecting the financial pressures they face. Official data showed that such transactions hit RM9.3 billion in the first half of 2025, with arrears of RM121.8 million involving 170,000 users.
He also called for a review of the Post-Basic Incentive Payment for nurses and medical assistants to better reflect their workload and qualifications.
“These doctors work up to 36 hours without rest. Yet their salaries are low, allowances inadequate, and on-call payments often delayed. It is unreasonable that they must turn to risky financial schemes just to survive.
“If these issues are not addressed, more healthcare workers will turn to BNPL, loan sharks, or leave for better opportunities elsewhere,” he said.
Lingeshwaran said fairer allowances and incentive schemes would not only protect healthcare workers’ welfare but also strengthen Malaysia’s healthcare system.
Tabling the 2025 budget last year, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the on-call duty allowance at medical facilities taking part in the “new system” for doctors and dentists in certain categories would be increased by between RM55 and RM65.
In July, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said doctors in public service would not get an on-call allowance increase allocated in the previous budget because of the ministry’s inability to implement the proposed Waktu Bekerja Berlainan shift system owing to a shortage of medical officers.
